What does a tortoise eat?

What does a land turtle eat?

Most pet land turtles are herbivorous reptiles. Their diet is therefore varied, balanced, and based mainly on plant-based foods. In addition to making them happy, a varied diet will keep your turtle's shell healthy. So, grab your notebook! In this article, we reveal what a land turtle eats.

What does a land turtle eat in the wild?

In the wild, a turtle's diet depends on where it lives. In wetlands, land turtles change their diet according to the seasons. During the wet season, they eat succulents, grasses, grasses, and shrubs. When it is dry, they look for drier foods such as rabbit droppings.

Because of this, it is crucial to provide it with a diet consisting almost exclusively of plant-based foods. Thus, you can let it eat, as a supplement and in moderation, vegetables such as kohlrabi, turnip greens, and green cabbage. But you can also offer it colorful items, such as peppers, green beans, and dandelions. Add flowers, grass, and hay to this, and you will get a healthy and balanced diet.

Whatever food is chosen, do not feed your turtle on gravel or soil! Otherwise, it could ingest part of this substrate, which is not good for it. For hydration, make sure to give it access to a wide and shallow water tray. Many turtles like to bathe and drink water regularly. However, remember to change the water in the basin and wash it every day, as some turtles also use it as a toilet.

The ideal plate of a land turtle in one diagram

Most land turtles kept in Belgium and France are Mediterranean species, such as the Hermann's turtle or the Greek turtle. Their menu is like a pyramid: lots of wild plants and hay, a supplement of flowers and leafy vegetables, and very little fruit.

Wild plants: the basis of the menu

In an untreated garden, the turtle finds a large part of its ideal food: plants rich in fiber and low in sugar. They get close to what it would eat in its native environment and naturally wear down its beak.

• Dandelion: leaves and flowers, highly appreciated.
• Plantain (broadleaf or major): a sure bet, easy to find.
• Mallow, milkweed, wild chicory: to vary the flavors.
• Clover: appreciated, but to be given in moderation.
• Good quality hay: always available, it provides fiber.

Composing the daily ration

1. Vary the plants: mix three or four different plants rather than just one.
2. Wash and serve on a clean surface: a flat stone or a plate, never directly on the substrate.
3. Add the mineral supplement: sprinkle the calcium following the product instructions.
4. Remove leftovers at the end of the day to avoid mold and flies.
5. Renew the water every day, in a shallow tray from which it can easily get out.

What foods to avoid?

Even though, like us, land turtles are not picky, there are certain foods to avoid. Pay attention, for example, to Swiss chard, beet leaves, and spinach. These vegetables contain oxalates and can be harmful to your land turtle. In addition, mustard greens and curly kale are not recommended, as they can cause hypothyroidism.

Other food ideas to feed your land turtle

Offering a healthy diet is just as important as varying its food. After all, no one likes to eat the same thing every day. Right?

To vary your turtle's diet, opt for the foods below:

• Mulberry leaves;
• Aloe;
• Parsley;
• Oregano;
• Artichoke;
• Strawberry leaves, etc.

Notice that we specify leaves here. Not that turtles don't like fruit! But it is essential to remember that green vegetables and herbs must make up the majority of their diet. You can always offer one or two fruits as an occasional treat.

Important: wash your hands thoroughly after feeding your land turtle!

As you will have understood, land turtles love flowers, herbs, and all kinds of vegetables. They also love fruit, but these are too sweet for them and are not as nutritious as vegetables. Therefore, make fruit an occasional treat about every two weeks.

Finally, note that turtles can carry salmonella, which can make humans very sick. Wash your hands with soap and water after touching a turtle, its dishes, or its habitat.

Calcium, UVB, and vitamin D3: what the plate is not enough to provide

A hard and well-formed shell requires calcium… and something to assimilate it. The turtle makes the necessary vitamin D3 thanks to the UVB rays of the sun. A turtle living outside in season naturally benefits from this; a turtle kept indoors, even for part of the year, needs a suitable UVB lamp.

• Calcium: a cuttlebone left at its disposal or a mineral powder sprinkled on the plants, according to the instructions.
• UVB: sunlight outdoors, or a UVB lamp for terrariums indoors (glass filters UVB).
• Specialized dry food: useful for emergencies or variety, as a supplement to fresh plants and hay, not as a replacement.

To choose the lighting properly, consult our guide How to choose a lamp for your terrarium? You will also find all our land turtle food and our turtle vitamins and minerals.

The pace of meals according to the season

A land turtle is a cold-blooded animal: it only eats well when it is warmed up. Its appetite therefore follows the seasons, and Mediterranean species hibernate in winter.

Do you also have an aquatic turtle? Its diet is very different: discover what a water turtle eats.

Frequently asked questions

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